Hole In The Head Disease Or?

[Ross101]

Hi,

I got some rainbow cichlids about 2 weeks ago and the male came with a slight mark on his face. I presumed it was a graze/scar from something as it didn't look infected.

Over the last few days it seems to have got worse. It looks as though it has opened up and produced a deeper hole.

He also seems to have a slight loss of colour or whiter area on his bottom lip.

Here are some pics as clear as I could get:





Physically he seems fine. He eats fine, breathes fine etc.

Other fish in the tank: Female rainbow cichlid (with 100+ fry) & a plec
tank size: 180 litres
Temp: 24/25 degrees
Nitrite: ~0.2-0.3 mg/l
Tank setup time: ~3weeks

Is this a fungal infection or something worse? Since noticing it worsen I have done daily/2 day water changes of around 25%-40%.

Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[WILDER]

Do you have other water stats in ammonia, nitrate.

Phone a lfs to see if they will take the fry off your hands.
As 100 fry in that tank size is pretty bad.

Hole in the head starts off as pitting, or spots.
The mark on the fish did it look bleached out of fluffy looking like cotton wool.
Columnaris can rot the face and mouth away.

You need to isolate the fish and use a bacterial med.
Also make sure there no pitting in the head region.

 

[Ross101]

Do you have other water stats in ammonia, nitrate.

Phone a lfs to see if they will take the fry off your hands.
As 100 fry in that tank size is pretty bad.

Hole in the head starts off as pitting, or spots.
The mark on the fish did it look bleached out of fluffy looking like cotton wool.
Columnaris can rot the face and mouth away.

You need to isolate the fish and use a bacterial med.
Also make sure there no pitting in the head region.

When i say 100 fry they are like 4 day old tiny things. And the place i got the rainbows from will take them off my hands when there abit older in a week or so.

2 weeks ago the mark was just a white scar mark and wasn't fluffy or wool like. Now it looks abit deeper and more of an open wound but its not fluffy at all. After reading up I thought it could be either columnaris or hole in the head. I can't isolate the fish as i don't have a spare tank.

Sorry i don't fully understand what you mean by pitting in the head region. It is an indent(hole) in the region that you can see in the pictures if thats what you mean.

However if you look at the bottom picture there is another white spot at the front of his top fin. Is this another sign or is that a wound?

I don't know how fast this stuff can spread or develop. It's been mostly the same for almost 2 weeks.

Maybe the water quality is not so great and has infected the area?

Can you recommend a medication?

Thanks

 

[Tolak]

Large frequent water changes, remove any carbon from the filter. Feed a good flake or pellet soaked in liquid children's vitamins.

 

[england]

Can you get any good full on shots?
Also pitting is like mini cretors,small pin like holes,
this link should help exsplain alot, got some good pics to compare,if it is hith then as stated,vitimins are paramount as are the waterchanges, hith is brought on by poor diet and bad water conditions,
HITH<-----------

 

[Ross101]

Can you get any good full on shots?
Also pitting is like mini cretors,small pin like holes,
this link should help exsplain alot, got some good pics to compare,if it is hith then as stated,vitimins are paramount as are the waterchanges, hith is brought on by poor diet and bad water conditions,
HITH<-----------

Ok i got some close up shots of him face on:

 

[WILDER]

With the white mouth and ulceration of the skin I was thinking it was columnaris. As that can ulcerate the skin away into a crater. Also ulcers can.

I agree about the water changes.
Your fry are already knocking your water stats.

I will leave a good link for you on hole in the head.

http/www.worldcichlids.com/diseases/Adamhith.html

 

[england]

Heheh great minds eh wilder, Best link i recon ive seen aswell....

 

[WILDER]

I agree nelly.

 

[Ross101]

you guys think this is hole in the head then?

I'm unsure as it was just a scar 2 weeks ago and there are no other holes anywhere?

Thanks

 

[WILDER]

Never had to treat hole in the head so can only go on info rather than experience.

Can you remove the fish from the tank and dab the wound with methylene blue.
You would need to wrap the fish in a cloth soaked in tankwater.

Have you see any strands coming out of the wound, or mucas strands.

 

[Ross101]

Never had to treat hole in the head so can only go on info rather than experience.

Can you remove the fish from the tank and dab the wound with methylene blue.
You would need to wrap the fish in a cloth soaked in tankwater.

Have you see any strands coming out of the wound, or mucas strands.

Nope there is not fluffyness, anything coming out or similar. It looks like a painful wound. I've treated the tank with some anti bacterial meds and some aquarium salt, i'm thinking its possibly an infected wound. I'll see how it goes.

I don't particularly want to remove him. I would be too worried to stress him and make it worse as a result.

 

[WILDER]

Ok.
Keep the thread updated if you don't mind.
Good Luck.